Helmet wraps

[RogueRoller]

Hydrographics has been discussed here before but the option to print your own images on the film with a wide format did not come up.

wayne k
guam usa

Well when I seen the way it was being done. I thought to myself why can't I make my own instead of getting what was already out on the market. So with my team of friends they set out to see how it was made for me. Got to love geeky friends. They reversed engineered it and found what types of inks and the film that it was printed on. Then all we had to do was find the suppliers for these products. You guessed it China. So all we had to do then was place the order and get it imported to the US.

All of this took over a year but boy was it fun. I love a good challenge.
Heck for all I know I may be the only fella in the US printing my own designs.
Wouldn't that be something. Had a nitch and did not even know it. LoL

I did it so could make my wheel chairs, golf carts and scooters look cooler.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

there are MANY companies capable of printing their own.

 

[RogueRoller]

there are MANY companies capable of printing their own.

That is good I never really looked into it. I haven't used my tank in about two and a half years. it was fun for a few months. Now I just keep it in case something comes up.

So do you know any places the others can get supplies here in the US?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Justin]

I gotta say that the hydrographics thing is pretty cool, but can you do various graphics with different colors, or only the same graphic repeated?

I wonder what Troy Lee Designs uses to put graphics on their helmets.. I don't think they are painted...
https://www.troyleedesigns.com/products.php?cat=29

 

[signage]

Yes you can do different designs that is what it is about and also contouring to different shapes.

 

[megacab]

there is a really simple way to do an actual wrap on a helmet. can't believe that nobody has posted it yet....must be a secret

 

[Justin]

there is a really simple way to do an actual wrap on a helmet. can't believe that nobody has posted it yet....must be a secret

What? What is it?

 

[mopar691]

Big barrel and heat? That's the fastest way I know of.

 

[toodark]

Well when I seen the way it was being done. I thought to myself why can't I make my own instead of getting what was already out on the market. So with my team of friends they set out to see how it was made for me. Got to love geeky friends. They reversed engineered it and found what types of inks and the film that it was printed on. Then all we had to do was find the suppliers for these products. You guessed it China. So all we had to do then was place the order and get it imported to the US.

All of this took over a year but boy was it fun. I love a good challenge.
Heck for all I know I may be the only fella in the US printing my own designs.
Wouldn't that be something. Had a nitch and did not even know it. LoL

I did it so could make my wheel chairs, golf carts and scooters look cooler.

I have done the research and so have my friends, guess my friends are not geeky enough to figure it out. Sure would like to know, so I can start print my own. I have a mutoh falcon sitting in my garage just waiting to know what ink and film to get.

 

[megacab]

Big barrel and heat? That's the fastest way I know of.

yes sir...

 

[thebluesdude]

Hi new to this dude, whats a big barrel??

 

[Atomic DNA]

Bump. I have a friend that has been doing the hydrographics thing for about ten years and keeps asking me to print him custom stuff. We end up airbrushing it because we have no knowledge of printing our own films. I would be interested in the process as well to get him off my back.lol

 

[phototec]

Hi new to this dude, whats a big barrel??

Here is a video showing how to use a large barrel and a heat gun to seamlessly wrap a helmet.

The sound is bad, but the video shows you in detail how to wrap a helmet.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFEvctCEYq8

Good luck!

 

[Sharx]

As others I would love to know some more info on the source for the pva film and ink to print hydrographics. Always thought that was the downfall, no being able to do custom stuff.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

As others I would love to know some more info on the source for the pva film and ink to print hydrographics. Always thought that was the downfall, no being able to do custom stuff.

Along with the ink, you'll need the printer. Home version are not available yet. The last I checked the minimum custom run was HUGE; like 5000 lin feet.

 

[Sharx]

For the ink and sheeting I would have to get that info for you. I have it on my Office computer sorry about that. I'm on vacation and won't be there until Wednesday.

As for the printer i use a old falcon outdoor by Mutoh that I picked up used for $325 on cregslist. was not printing ran a lot of cleaner threw it and she cleaned rite up.

Maybe I understood wrong, but it sounds like RogueRoller has found the sources, and apparently the ink to do one off stuff?

 

[Sharx]

Wondering if RogueRoller had a chance to find out about the blank pva sheets or what the inks are. I'm thinking this fall may have a new printer in the shop and would lover to convert an old printer if it's an inkset that is available. I think we could get a tank welded up and some of the other stuff. I've been intrigued by the hydro graphics for some time, but till I can do some custom stuff I just haven't thought that hard about it. Now you have me excited again.

 

[Coban]

Best bet is to develop some type of templates to cover the helmet, and unless it's a very popular high end helmet it's not worth it. At our shop we've started to sort through the most common and make a template that basically puzzles together so most people can install them. So far we've had a good response but it takes alot of time to get them to fit just right